King of the Court 1v1

Very short 1-on-1 battles at each basket: the winner stays on as 'king' and defends the next player in line, and the loser goes to the back. Students get many reps of 1-on-1 offense and defense, and nobody is eliminated.

How to play

1. Make groups of 5 per basket and mark a starting cone 16 ft from the rim; the line waits behind the baseline.
2. The king defends and the first player in line attacks; every battle starts with the defender checking the ball to the attacker at the cone.
3. The attacker has 10 seconds to score: a basket makes them the new king; a miss or turnover gives the king a crown.
4. The loser goes to the back of the line; if the defender gets the rebound, the battle ends with no counterattack.
5. A king can win at most 3 crowns in a row, then goes to the line.
6. Play 3 rounds of 5 minutes, moving groups to new baskets between rounds.

Rules

• Defend with your feet and arms wide, with no holding or pushing.
• Traveling, double dribbles or leaving the area end the battle.
• Players in line count the 10 seconds out loud.

Variations

Adaptations

• Limited mobility: battles at a lowered hoop, defense from an arm's length and 15 seconds to attack.
• Shyness: the student's first battles are against trusted classmates.
• Mixed skill: assign baskets by level so battles stay even.

Learning goals

• Choose to shoot, drive or fake based on the defender.
• Defend low, staying between the attacker and the basket.
• Manage emotions when winning and losing.

Equipment for a class of 25

• youth basketballs: 5
• basketball hoops: 5
• cones: 5

Teacher tip

Long lines kill this game: no more than 5 or 6 per basket. If you are short on hoops, use hula hoops on the floor as targets and rotate everyone through them.

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